Bored Panda was interested in getting to grips with animal and pet photography, so we reached out to Michelle Wood, a member of the team running the Comedy Pet Photography Awards, as well as The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The photo of the pigeon with the leaf on its face, entitled 'I guess summer's over,' was taken by John Speirs and won the Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award in the latter competition last year.
We also got in touch with Toronto pet photographer, Karen Weiler of Posh Pets Photography. Scroll down for both of Bored Panda's interviews, dear Readers!
Bored Panda asked Michelle about the differences when photographing pets and taking pictures of animals in the wild. She said that the basics of photography apply in both cases, however, usually, "you do have more control over the animal if it is a pet (unless you’re photographing a cat maybe) rather than, say a wildebeest."
"With a pet, it might be possible to help the narrative along a little, with treats, commands, some training, and help from whoever happens to be in the house. It’s a bit trickier out in the bush when observation and patience are key. But there are so many types of amazing wildlife to photograph and some much closer to home than you think. And you always need a bit of luck in both genres," she said.
"Last year, in the competition [The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021], a common pigeon with a leaf covering its face came very close to winning the whole thing. It was a wonderfully timed and charming shot," Michelle told Bored Panda, referring to Speirs' wonderful shot that got one of the top awards. The photo has become so iconic that it's been shared and reshared all over social media and the news.
In Michelle's opinion, patience "is definitely top of the list" of qualities vital for aspiring animal photographers. "You can’t rush these things," she said, adding that knowing your subject's habits and routine inside out is also important.
"It can really help to know, for example, where to position yourself at certain times of the day, when the light is best and you know the animal—wild or domestic will be most at ease being photographed."
We were also curious to get Michelle's take on how photographers can stop beating themselves up if they weren't quick enough to capture an incredible scene.
"Photography should be fun and rewarding but sometimes it seems like you have wasted a lot of time when you haven’t got the shot you wanted. We would say, firstly keep your expectations low, see how it goes, enjoy the process not just the outcome, you’ll be learning all the time and sometimes the mistakes teach us more than the brilliant shots. And keep going!! There’s always a new shot to be had," she encouraged photographers to never give up. Perseverance is key!
The winners of the Comedy Pet Photography Awards 2022 will be announced on September 14. Meanwhile, The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards contest is still open and you can enter your photos until September 1. You'll find the finalists from this year's Comedy Pet Photography Awards featured in our recent article here.
Meanwhile, Toronto pet photographer Karen, of Posh Pets Photography, shared with Bored Panda that while cats and dogs are her regular clients, she also has the opportunity to photograph other 'domestics' from time to time.
"Rabbits, guinea pigs, and hedgehogs are fun, but working with them is completely different. It is all about learning about their behaviors and finding the way that they communicate so that you can capture their attention in a kind and enjoyable way," she shared.
"The biggest difference between studio and outdoor sessions is the fact that you WILL need additional light in the form of strobe/flash/constant light sources for indoor, studio work. While I personally choose to blend ambient and flash ‘in the wild’ during most of my sessions, there are many photographers that use natural light only outside. It is good to be able to do both as some pets do react adversely to strobe light. It’s rare, but it happens. So, having the option to photograph using available, natural light is an asset," the photography expert said.
According to the Toronto-based pet photographer, knowing your camera well and getting good at anticipating behavior can help when taking animal photos on the fly. "It sets you up for success. Also, try to control your lighting—even if it just means altering your position to take the photo from a better angle," she said.
"But, ultimately, if you see a moment, take the photograph. It is better to have tried and have a chance of capturing the moment, than to have missed it completely," Karen, the founder of Posh Pets Photography, told Bored Panda.
The ‘Doggo Taxi’ Instagram project is very chill and full of postmodern vibes. The photos show such an unusual, incredibly emotional side of animals that it’s very hard to look away. The images are expressive, powerful, and made us giggle harder than we’d care to admit aloud.
What’s more, the photos strike a very nice balance between accidental brilliance (who here hasn’t taken a wonderful snap completely by accident?) and the photographers’ ability to adapt to strange situations on the fly. The result is a ton of entertainment… and the sudden realization that we might not be so different from the smartphone-scrolling raccoon in the car.
Recently, Bored Panda spoke about the importance of perspective with professional photographer Dominic Sberna, who is based in Ohio.
"The angle of vantage for the photographer can really change an image," he explained to us that the perspective is incredibly vital when considering the story the photographer wants to tell the audience.
"It all depends on what you're going for. It's best to play around and try different things to see what looks best and what works best depending on your subject," he said that you have to be willing to experiment a bit with different perspectives to get the type of mood you had in mind.
Meanwhile, the professional mentioned that the more focused you are on your goals, the better you’ll perform. Remember what you’re trying to achieve as you’re working with the camera.
"Make sure to not lose sight of what you're trying to achieve in your image. Have a clear goal in mind with what you're trying to convey,” Dominic told Bored Panda that clarity and focus work wonders.
"Follow the rules of composition and don't make things too small,” he added how photography enthusiasts can avoid making mistakes. “I have photos of rock climbers at a national park in Nevada, where I personally feel the overall perspective is a bit lost.”
He added. "Make sure the audience is able to understand what it is they're supposed to be seeing and comparing the perspective to the surroundings at hand.”
Now, we love all animals equally here at Bored Panda and we believe that their welfare is paramount. However, it’s our Feline Overlords who pay our bills and give us our daily rations of bamboo. So we have to prioritize talking about cats, don’t we? We thought it’d be great to remind you about a few things that cats love and loathe.
PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Spooner told us during an earlier interview that cats are harder to read than dogs. However, one thing that they dislike is being stared at. They find it intimidating. “Often the quickest way to help them feel at ease and get them to come to you, is to avoid direct eye contact. If you see your cat slowly blinking or squinting at you—this is them showing affection and trust, and guess what? You can do it back to your cat to tell them the same thing!"
